China attaches high importance to Africa relations

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - China attaches high importance to its relations with Africa, State Councilor and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi has said during his second day of the official visit to Nigeria.

Wang started his five-nation tour of the Africa continent Monday in Nigeria and will also visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, Tanzania, and the Seychelles.

During his visit on Tuesday, Wang held a bilateral meeting with his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama in the capital Abuja to strengthen their already cordial ties, according to a statement by the Nigerian Foreign Ministry.

“The two ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of an intergovernmental committee to coordinate cooperation between both countries,’’ it noted.

Onyeama’s office said their meeting also focused on areas of cooperation in trade, economics, defense and security, as well as education and technical matters among others.

Wang also met with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during the visit.

Four days prior to Wang's Africa tour, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing that foreign ministers in Beijing each year for the past three decades have chosen Africa for their first overseas visit.

He said Wang’s visit this time is a continuation of this fine tradition, which demonstrates the high importance China attaches to its relations with Africa.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Africa have worked in solidarity to fight against the epidemic, a testament to our brotherhood,’’ Wenbin added.

“This visit also shows China's sincerity and determination in deepening friendly relations with African countries in the post-COVID era,’’ he stressed.

China is one of Africa’s largest trading partners and Wang is expected to highlight three main areas of cooperation, including COVID-19 vaccine cooperation, economic recovery in the post-pandemic period, and transformative development to build a new consensus on solidarity and deliver new benefits to its peoples.